[Ord. 114, 1/21/1991, § 302; as amended by Ord. 266, 9/17/2007]
1.
Purpose. The fire control measures and regulations are set forth for the purpose of controlling conditions which could impede or interfere with fire suppression forces.
2.
Authority at Fires and Other Emergencies.
A.
The Fire Chief and officers under his command of the fire company having jurisdiction, as may be in charge at the scene of a fire or other emergency involving the protection of life and/or property, is empowered to direct such operations as may be necessary to extinguish or control any suspected or reported fires, gas leaks, or other hazardous conditions or situations or of taking any other action necessary in the reasonable performance of their duty.
B.
The Fire Chief or the Fire Marshal may prohibit any person, vehicle, or object from approaching the scene of an emergency and may remove or cause to be removed from the scene any person, vehicle, or object which may impede or interfere with the operations of the fire company.
C.
The Fire Chief or the Fire Marshal may remove or cause to be removed any person, vehicle, or object from hazardous areas. All persons ordered to leave a hazardous area shall do so immediately and shall not reenter the area until authorized to do so by the Fire Marshal.
D.
The Fire Chief shall have the authority to contract for equipment and/or services during an emergency situation on behalf of Wrightstown Township when authorized Township officials are not available. Authorized Township officials ranked from highest to lowest include: Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, Vice Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, Member of the Board of Supervisors, emergency management coordinator, and Fire Marshal.
3.
Interference with Fire Company Operations. It shall be unlawful to interfere with, attempt to interfere with, conspire to interfere with, obstruct or restrict the mobility of, or block the path of travel of any fire company emergency vehicle, any vehicle designated as an emergency vehicle hereinafter or any fire company operation.
4.
Compliance with Orders. A person shall not willfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction of the Fire Chief or his representative, or the Fire Marshal or to interfere with the compliance attempts of another individual.
5.
Vehicles Crossing Fire Hoses. A vehicle shall not be driven or propelled over any unprotected fire hose of any fire company operating within the Township which has been laid down on any street, alley way, private drive, or any other vehicular roadway without the consent of the Fire Chief or his representatives having command of said operation.
6.
Authorized Emergency Vehicles. Authorized emergency vehicles shall be restricted to the following:
A.
All fire apparatus owned and operated by the fire company or other fire companies operating within the Township.
B.
The private vehicles of the chief, deputy chief, assistant chief, and battalion chief of any fire company operating in Wrightstown Township and the Fire Marshal of Wrightstown Township provided such vehicles are equipped with an audible warning device and a visual red light consistent with Commonwealth law.
C.
With the approval of the Chief of Police having jurisdiction, the private vehicle of the Fire Police Captain, provided such vehicle is equipped with visual and audible warning devices consistent with the local jurisdiction.
7.
Operation of Vehicles on Approach of Authorized Emergency Vehicles. Upon the approach of any authorized emergency vehicle, giving audible and visual signal, the operator of every other vehicle shall immediately drive the same to a position as near as possible and parallel to the right-hand edge or curb of the street or roadway, clear of any intersection, and shall stop and remain in such position until the authorized emergency vehicle or vehicles shall have passed, unless otherwise directed by the Fire Chief or his representative, the Fire Marshal or a police officer.
8.
Vehicles Following Fire Apparatus. It shall be unlawful for the operator of any vehicle, other than one on official business, to follow closer than 300 feet from any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm, or to pass any fire apparatus responding to an emergency displaying visual warning devices or to drive any vehicle within the block or immediate area where fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm.
9.
Unlawful Boarding or Tampering with Fire Company Emergency Equipment. A person shall not without proper authorization from the Fire Chief or his representative of the fire company in charge of said fire company emergency equipment, to cling, to attach himself, to climb upon or into, to board or swing upon any fire company emergency vehicle, whether the same is in motion or at rest, or sound the siren, horn, bell, or other sound-producing device thereon, or to manipulate or tamper with, or attempt to manipulate or tamper with any levers, valves, switches, starting devices, brakes, pumps, or any equipment or protective clothing on, or a part of any fire company emergency vehicles.
10.
Damage, Injury to Fire Company Equipment and Personnel. It shall be unlawful for any person to damage or deface, or attempt or conspire to damage or deface, any fire company emergency vehicle at any time or to injure, or attempt or conspire to injure, fire company personnel while performing departmental duties.
11.
Emergency Vehicle Operation. The driver of any emergency vehicle, as defined in Subsection 6 of this section, shall not sound the siren thereon or have the front red on or disobey any existing traffic regulations, except when said vehicle is responding to an emergency call or when responding to, but not upon returning from, a fire. Tactical strategies such as, but not restricted to, "cover-ups" do not constitute an emergency call. The driver of an emergency vehicle may:
A.
Park or stand irrespective of the provisions of existing traffic regulations.
B.
Proceed past a red or stop signal or other sign, but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation.
C.
Exceed the posted speed limit so long as the action does not endanger life or property.
D.
Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions.
E.
The exemptions herein granted to an emergency vehicle shall apply only when the driver of any such vehicle is responding to a fire or other emergency sounds audible signal by bell, siren, or exhaust whistle as may be reasonably necessary, and when the vehicle is equipped with at least one lighted lamp displaying a red light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of 500 feet to the front of such vehicle.
12.
Blocking Fire Hydrants, Fire Department Connections, or Fire Lanes.
A.
It shall be unlawful to obscure from view, damage, deface, obstruct or restrict the access to any fire hydrant, or any fire department connection for the pressurization of fire suppression systems, including fire hydrants and fire connections that are located on public or private streets and access lanes or on private property.
B.
It shall be unlawful for any vehicle to park within any fire lane so designated.
C.
It shall be unlawful to deny access to any water source on private property which may be used for fire suppression during a fire or other emergency.
D.
If, upon the expiration of the time mentioned in a notice of violation, obstructions or encroachments are not removed, the Fire Marshal shall proceed to remove the same. The cost incurred in the performance of necessary work shall be paid from the Township treasury on certificate of the Fire Marshal and with the approval of the Board of Supervisors; and the legal authority of the Township shall institute appropriate action for the recovery of such costs.
13.
Hydrant Use Approval. A person shall not use or operate any fire hydrant or fire department connection intended for use of the fire company for fire suppression purposes unless such person first secures a permit for such use from the Fire Marshal and the water company having jurisdiction or in the case of rural water supplies, the Fire Chief having jurisdiction.
14.
Public Water Supply. The Fire Marshal shall recommend to the Board of Supervisors the location or relocation of new or existing fire hydrants, the placement or replacement of inadequate water mains located upon public property and deemed necessary to provide an adequate fire flow and distribution pattern, or the placement of rural water supplies such as but not limited to such water supplies as ponds, tanks and cisterns. A fire hydrant or other system intended to provide water for fire suppression, shall not be put into service until approved by the Fire Marshal.
15.
Water Distribution Systems. All new and existing commercial facilities including those containing a large volume of flammable liquid and solid materials, lumber yards and educational or institutional complexes and similar occupancies and uses involving high fire or life hazards, and which are located more than 150 feet from a public street shall provide a water distribution system. Any occupancy as defined herein which require quantities of water beyond those available from public or private sources shall be required to provide a water supply acceptable to the Fire Chief, the Fire Marshal and the Board of Supervisors.
16.
Maintenance of Fire Suppression Equipment. A person shall not obstruct, remove, tamper with, or otherwise disturb any fire hydrant or fire appliance required to be installed or maintained under the provisions of the Fire Prevention Code except for the purpose of extinguishing fire, training or testing purposes, recharging or making necessary repairs, or when permitted by the Fire Marshal. Whenever a fire appliance is removed as herein permitted, it shall be replaced or reinstalled as soon as the purpose for which it was removed has been accomplished. Defective and nonapproved fire appliances or equipment shall be replaced or repaired as directed by the Fire Marshal.
17.
Sale of Defective Fire Extinguishers. A person shall not sell, trade, loan, or give away any form, type, or kind of fire extinguisher which is not approved by the Fire Marshal, or which is not in proper working order, or the contents of which do not meet the requirements of the Fire Marshal. The requirements of this Part shall not apply to the sale, trade, or exchange of obsolete or damaged equipment for junk when said units are permanently disfigured or marked with a permanent sign identifying the unit as junk.
18.
Street Obstructions. A person or persons shall not erect, construct, place, or maintain any bumps, fences, gates, chains, bars, pipes, wood or metal horses, or any other type of obstruction in or on any street, within the boundaries of the Township. The word street as used in this Part, shall mean any roadway accessible to the public for vehicular traffic, including, but not limited to private streets or access lanes, as well as all public streets and highways within the boundaries of the Township.
19.
Access to Water Supplies. No person or persons shall deny access to any water supply including creeks, ponds, retention basins, swimming pools, holding tanks, or other water supplies which can be used for fire suppression to the fire department having jurisdiction or to others acting under its direction for any emergency.
20.
Violations. Any person, firm, or corporation who shall violate any provision of this Part, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before a magisterial district judge in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this Part continues or each section of this Part which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense.